= "Open Source Digital Fabrication Machines made in Barcelona".

Description

DIDIY:

"Barcelona 3D Technology is a project from the Fundació CIM to design and create domestic and professional 3D printers in a way that the user can learn with every print, thanks to their Open Source working method. The project started as RepRap Barcelona and has gone through a series of iterations of RepRap 3D printer designs and in 2016 added a DLP printer and Laser cutter to its catalog. It benefits greatly from the foundation being part of the technical university (UPC), where it runs an advanced manufacturing facility, master programme and various hands-on workshops in digital fabrication." (http://www.didiy.eu/public/deliverables/didiy-d6.3-1.0-pub.pdf

Characteristics

DIDIY:

Community

The main software and design repository is at github: https://github.com/BCN3D while it offers online forums on their own website. Additionally the foundation runs a series of municipal FabLabs for the BCN City Council, participates in digital fabrication events and offers workshops at their own facilities.

Licensing

The hardware designs of the last generation of machines, in particular the SIGMA, are under the CERN Open Hardware License, while the BCN 3D+ is under the MIT license." (http://www.didiy.eu/public/deliverables/didiy-d6.3-1.0-pub.pdf)

Business Model

Revenue models:

• Sale of hardware, in the form of kits, finished products and spare parts, both through their online shop as through a distributor network. • Consultancy, prototyping and small scale custom made products. • Course programmes and workshops. • Technical support and coordination of makerspaces.

Modes of production:

Inhouse production of the machines and testing equipment with sourced materials and components from local and regional providers. The manufacturing process itself is considered a learning experience for the UPC students.

The R&D and designs benefit from peer production globally shared experiences and designs of improvements in the RepRap community in particular and digital fabrication machine designers in general.

Indicators of impact

• In February 2017 the foundation has 78 staff and 77 students, of which 15 staff and 23 students are dedicated to the BCN 3D Technology project. • Machines sold: ca. 1500 RepRap kits have been sold and the SIGMA machines around 2.000. • Google Incoming Links (bcn3dtechnologies.com): 15.100. • Alexa Global Rank (bcn3dtechnologies.com): 397.116.

(http://www.didiy.eu/public/deliverables/didiy-d6.3-1.0-pub.pdf)

Governance models

• The project is part of the Foundation CIM, liaised with the technical university of Catalonia, UPC: https://www.fundaciocim.org.

• Replicability: the earlier designs were easier to replicate than the last machine series